Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Vol 61, 896-898, Copyright © 1985 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

Short term, low dose estradiol accelerates ulnar growth in boys

M Caruso-Nicoletti, F Cassorla, M Skerda, JL Ross, DL Loriaux and GB Cutler Jr

We previously described a biphasic dose-response curve for ethinyl estradiol on short term growth in patients with Turner's syndrome. To investigate whether there is a similar phenomenon in boys, we measured the 3-week ulnar growth velocity (TUG) after administration of different doses of estradiol to five prepubertal or early pubertal boys. Basal TUG was determined initially. Subsequently, the boys received a 4-day iv infusion of estradiol at each of three doses (4, 20, and 90 micrograms/day) given double blind in a randomized sequence. TUG was determined before and after each infusion and was allowed to return to baseline before giving the second and third infusions. Mean TUG increased from 0.45 +/- 0.11 (+/- SEM) to 1.38 +/- 0.51 mm/3 weeks after the 4 micrograms/day infusion (P less than 0.05), from 0.49 +/- 0.11 to 1.0 +/- 0.4 mm/3 weeks after the 20 micrograms/day infusion (P = NS), and from 0.46 +/- 0.1 to 0.84 +/- 0.12 mm/3 weeks after the 90 micrograms/day infusion (P = NS). The mean serum estradiol level was 10 +/- 2.3 pg/ml during the 4 micrograms/day infusion, 16 +/- 2.3 pg/ml during the 20 micrograms/day infusion, and 96 +/- 12 pg/ml during the 90 micrograms/day infusion. Mean serum somatomedin-C levels were significantly higher only after the 20 and 90 micrograms/day estradiol infusions. We conclude that low dose estrogen can stimulate ulnar growth in boys and may play a role in the male pubertal growth spurt.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				T. Irie, T. Aizawa, and S. Kokubun The role of sex hormones in the kinetics of chondrocytes in the growth plate: A STUDY IN THE RABBIT J Bone Joint Surg Br, September 1, 2005; 87-B(9): 1278 - 1284. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Wang, F. Paris, C. S. Sultan, R. X.-D. Song, L. M. Demers, B. Sundaram, J. Settlage, S. Ohorodnik, and R. J. Santen Recombinant Cell Ultrasensitive Bioassay for Measurement of Estrogens in Postmenopausal Women J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., March 1, 2005; 90(3): 1407 - 1413. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Bouillon, M. Bex, D. Vanderschueren, and S. Boonen Estrogens Are Essential for Male Pubertal Periosteal Bone Expansion J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., December 1, 2004; 89(12): 6025 - 6029. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K.-C. Leung, G. Johannsson, G. M. Leong, and K. K. Y. Ho Estrogen Regulation of Growth Hormone Action Endocr. Rev., October 1, 2004; 25(5): 693 - 721. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Decker, C.-J. Partsch, and W. G. Sippell Combined Treatment with Testosterone (T) and Ethinylestradiol (EE2) in Constitutionally Tall Boys: Is Treatment with T Plus EE2 More Effective in Reducing Final Height in Tall Boys than T Alone? J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., April 1, 2002; 87(4): 1634 - 1639. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Lampit, A. Golander, H. Guttmann, and Z.'e. Hochberg Estrogen Mini-Dose Replacement during GnRH Agonist Therapy in Central Precocious Puberty: A Pilot Study J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., February 1, 2002; 87(2): 687 - 690. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. L. S. Drop, W. J. de Waal, and S. M. P. F. de Muinck Keizer-Schrama Sex Steroid Treatment of Constitutionally Tall Stature Endocr. Rev., October 1, 1998; 19(5): 540 - 558. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				F. Suarez, C. Rossignol, and M. Garabédian Interactive Effect of Estradiol and Vitamin D Receptor Gene Polymorphisms as a Possible Determinant of Growth in Male and Female Infants J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., October 1, 1998; 83(10): 3563 - 3568. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				A. P. Cemeroglu, A. L. Barkan, G. B. Kletter, I. Z. Beitins, and C. M. Foster Changes in Serum Immunoreactive and Bioactive Growth Hormone Concentrations in Boys with Advancing Puberty and in Response to a 20-Hour Estradiol Infusion J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., July 1, 1997; 82(7): 2166 - 2171. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Giustina, T. Scalvini, C. Tassi, P. Desenzani, C. Poiesi, W. B. Wehrenberg, A. D. Rogol, and J. D. Veldhuis Maturation of the Regulation of Growth Hormone Secretion in Young Males with Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism Pharmacologically Exposed to Progressive Increments in Serum Testosterone J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., April 1, 1997; 82(4): 1210 - 1219. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]